The Gottwald Household
by Ghille Dhu the Blue
Summary: If only his former comrades could see him now. They wouldn't recognise the man that Jeremiah Gottwald had grown into while hidden away in Area 11. Now the head of a household consisting of a Japanese 'Eleven' ninja/maid, two ex-royals believed dead, their Japanese 'Eleven' best friend, and he could hardly forget the newest addition - a cat.


Silly little one-shot. I'm not going for characterisation accuracy in this one-shot. If I ever ended up making a full length story along these lines it'd be more accurate, I would hope, for I'd spend a lot of time re-watching the anime. It wouldn't be a warm fluff story if I continued it just because some of the pivotal characters are happier and together in the background story. I do have plan eventually to write some Code Geass things that consist of the AU versions that we all secretly adore reading.

Now if anyone was to wish to take this concept and go ahead with continuing it ... PLEASE DO! I'd absolutely love to read something someone else has done for it. I'd be glad to help with the plot concept if you ever needed someone to help pan it out.

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**The Orange Family**

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Jeremiah Gottwald raised an eyebrow at his young charge. "I got a phone-call from Ashford Academy." He paused for a moment, " Your Physical Education teacher has complained about your skipping of class. That is not acceptable! You must get a well-rounded education which is why I will be supervising your make-up classes."

The exiled Prince of Britannia responded with a face showing his horror. "Jeremiah-" before he went any further the twenty-eight year old man cut in cleverly.

"For a healthy lifestyle one must partake in regular exercise along with a healthy diet! It is my responsibility to make sure that you have both while under my care. What would Nunnally be saying if she finds out that her older brother isn't taking proper care of himself?" Years with the manipulative former Prince had taught Jeremiah that if anything would convince the boy it was using his younger sister. He didn't like using such tactics against his liege, but if one thing that helping raise the two siblings had taught Jeremiah Gottwald it was that anything went in ensuring their health.

This was no longer an obligation to the Empress that he failed to protect, no, what he was doing now wasn't an obligation. There was the fierce pride in watching the two young children that he had taken into his care grow up despite their tragic past, and the affection that had grown with the time he had spent with them.

He knew he had won when Lelouch just nodded. "Where is Nunnally today?" The violet eyed teenager asked instead of protesting any further. Undoubtedly he was plotting ways to get out of his make-up classes that would probably succeed. Jeremiah was no fool, but outmaneuvering the genius son of Marianne the Flash took more than being smart, it took some big miracle for a complete victory.

"Sayoko has taken her out shopping for new clothes." Jeremiah answered hiding his satisfied smile at winning the battle. It wasn't often these days that he could claim a victory against the former Eleventh Prince not that he cared about it much. It made the sacrifices that he had made all worth it. In fact, his younger sister Lilica would be all grown up by now and he hadn't seen her since she was a girl!

It pained him that he had thrown away his past life when he had vowed to protect the Vi Britannia siblings, but seeing them alive and healthy was enough to make him know that he had made a wise decision. This was the path he had chosen. Jeremiah didn't know if the young royal siblings would have survived during the invasion if he hadn't been present to make sure of their safety. Perhaps they might've due to the resourcefulness of Lelouch that had always been pronounced even as a child.

"When will they be back?" Lelouch asked once more with a frown.

Jeremiah hid his amusement. It wasn't that the seventeen year old didn't want his younger sister to go out and do normal teenage activities, he always worried that something would happen to her. If there was one thing that Jeremiah hadn't been able to stop it was the overprotective tendencies that Lelouch had in regards to his sister. Jeremiah understood the urge to try to shield the exiled Princess from the cruel world surrounding such a gentle heart, but he wanted the girl to experience the life that she deserved despite her disabilities.

"After dinner most likely. Sayoko is going to take Nunnally out for a meal as a treat since she doesn't often get the opportunity to go out because of her disabilities." Nunnally was probably the sun by which all the Gottwald household orbited around. A kind smile to all, her warmth that excluded nobody within radius, she made the other four inhabitants of the house happy. Thinking about the other inhabitant of the Gottwald household made him wonder where the young Japanese boy had disappeared to. "Where is Suzaku?" He asked the best friend to the last ward that he had taken on.

"Suzaku be home soon. He found a stray cat that he decided to treat despite the fact it hates him. " Lelouch offered in reply.

This time Jeremiah didn't muffle his amusement one bit. "A cat?" He shook his head in false despair. "He will never learn that cats and he do not mix at all. I better make sure that the first aid kit is handy to treat _his _injuries." If he had known that he would end as the guardian to two ex-royals, and their Japanese best friend all those years ago...

He would probably have laughed at the funny jest told to him.

At twenty-eight years of age, the former soldier was the head of a household consisting of a Japanese ninja-maid, two exiled royals, the son of the dead Japanese Prime Minister and soon a vicious cat.

He twitched at the thought of the cat that would be in his home soon. Jeremiah wasn't fond of cats at all because they made him sneeze but he knew that Nunnally would love to have a pet to cuddle. He doubted even a feral-like cat would be immune to the Nunnally effect so he wasn't worried about her being bitten by the beast.

If only his old comrades could see where he was now.

It didn't matter what they would say to him though. Looking at the seventeen year old former Eleventh Prince stand dressed in school uniform, confident and safe, was more than enough to make any sacrifices on his part nothing but faint pangs of sadness. Empress Marianne could rest peacefully knowing her children were growing up into such fine people.

What greater honour could he receive? The one that protecting and caring for these teenagers that had become a family that he called his own had been the greatest experience of his life. It hadn't been easy at all for him to adjust to. Not when he had to balance the fact they were born royalty that he had pledged loyalty for, yet also children in need of someone to raise them, someone who had to be him.

"I'm going out with Rivalz." Lelouch said curtly, cutting through Jeremiah's thoughts.

"Be back in time for dinner," Jeremiah answered automatically. It was good for a teenage boy to have friends to go out with, for a long time it had seemed that Lelouch would hold himself apart from others his age except Suzaku, but he had over the years started to go out with a school-friend.

He got a nod in response.

Now all that was left for him to do was decide what he was going to make for the evening meal for the men living in the household since Sayoko and Nunnally would be eating out. Of course, if Lelouch was going to be making up for his truancy in P.E it would have to be something with lots of energy in order to keep him going during the exercise. Despite the brilliant mind he possessed, he wasn't quite the most active physically.


End file.
